


Always Go in a Group

by scatter



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Community: badbadbathhouse, Friendship, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-11
Updated: 2011-04-11
Packaged: 2017-10-17 22:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/182178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scatter/pseuds/scatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Souji is critically wounded while he and Yosuke are in the TV, and Yosuke tries to keep him focused on the way out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Go in a Group

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a prompt at the Persona 4 Kink Meme: _Souji and Yosuke are in the TV training by themselves, when no one else is available (or whatever set up Anon wants to use to get them into the TV world alone), and work themselves until they're mentally and physically shot. They've called it a day and are heading back, only to be taken by surprise by a powerful shadow._
> 
> _Souji gets hurt badly. As in 'near fatally'. Without the facilities to heal him, Yosuke has to walk him slowly back to the entrance to get to the fox, trying to keep him alert with whatever inane questions/topics he can while Souji starts to drift in and out of consciousness._

"Oh, hell yes!"

Souji staggered under the sudden weight of Yosuke's arm around his shoulder, but laughed along with his friend and returned his grin.

"Did you see that? I mean—man!"

"Yeah, it was awesome." Yosuke's last attack had taken down two Shadows at once, blasting them from their blind spot while they focused on Souji. It was a lucky shot; they were so evasive they'd been dodging just about everything thrown at them and Yosuke was drained enough that he wouldn't have managed to pull off another Magarudyne.

"That's the whole floor, huh?" Yosuke kept his arm around Souji's shoulder as they walked. Souji suspected this was only partly out of friendship and mostly out of exhaustion. He found himself leaning back almost as heavily.

"That's everything."

"Good, I'm beat. Thanks for inviting me." He butted their heads together, a gesture that caught Souji off-caught given Yosuke's skittishness about touching other guys. Maybe they were so close it didn't matter, being partners and all that. The thought put a smile on Souji's face.

"No problem. Hey, was the exit right or left?"

"Huh." They came to a stop. "I don't know."

"Alright, give me a second to think." Souji consulted his mental map. Despite usually having Rise on hand to help them when they got lost, he had a pretty good sense of direction and could get reoriented with little trouble. Most of the time, anyway.

"You're looking lost there, partner."

"Maybe if I turn around…?" He slipped from under Yosuke's arm and turned just in time to see the tip of a spear hurtling towards Yosuke's back. There was no time for a warning; without thinking, he threw himself sideways and crashed into Yosuke. A second later, pain exploded in his side as the spearhead pierced through him and pinned him up against the wall.

He tried to scream but couldn't draw breath. His hands flew up and tried futilely to pull the weapon out, ending up cut and bloodied as they slipped on the sharp edges. The spear was yanked back and he fell to the floor, but he couldn't move as it was hefted higher this time, clearly aiming for a killing blow.

As it came towards him, he had a split second of panicked thought and then there was a flash and smoke filled the passageway. When it cleared, his eyes were burning, the Shadow was gone, and Yosuke was kneeing next to him, headphones off, face pale and terrified.

"Souji, Souji, oh my God, say something."

He opened his mouth but all that came out was a hacking cough and a spray of blood. He put a hand to his side – in his side; there was a hole, a warm, sticky emptiness that radiated pain – and his chest heaved as he tried and failed to draw breath.

"Wait, wait." Yosuke fumbled with his kunai, dropped it – "Shit, come on!" – and slashed the card that appeared in the air before him. Susano-o shimmered into existence and there was a flash of light as he cast his healing spell.

The pain left, a little, and his hand was pushed out as the skin and muscle worked to reform. Souji could breathe now and he drew in a huge, shuddering gasp, coughing and choking on the blood that still blocked his windpipe.

"You're okay, right, partner?" Yosuke's face was still pale from worry and the strain of having used the last bit of energy he had in the spell.

"Yeah." It was a lie and they both knew it; Souji's breathing sounded terrible even to his own ears. "Let me… Help me stand up."

"No way. Just tell me where you keep those Goho-Ms so we can get the hell out of here."

"Don't have any." Souji spit, getting the last of the blood out of his mouth. The spell seemed to have fixed the worst of the problem; at the very least, no more was coming up. "I was broke, remember?"

Yosuke clenched his eyes shut and slammed his head against the wall. "Shit."

"Sorry." Souji worked at the hospital, tutored, helped out at the daycare center, and even folded envelopes and translated at home, but when it came to the TV world there was never enough money. If he wasn't buying a new weapon or piece of armor, he was paying Margaret for access to old Persona.

Scrounging up cash had been part of the reason they'd come in the TV today.

"It's not your fault." Yosuke visibly forced himself into action. He threw Souji's arm over his shoulder, started a count, and on three pulled him to his feet.

Souji nearly vomited from the pain. He managed not to, barely, but he still tried to bend over and dry heave, straightening only because bending made it worse.

"Fuck, Souji, I'm sorry, I had to." Yosuke looked like he was going to be in tears any minute.

Souji swallowed hard and spit when his mouth started watering. "It's okay."

"We've got to start walking. Are you okay for that?"

"Not much of a choice, I think." When Yosuke hesitated, he put one foot forward, though he was unable to actually take the step on his own. "I remember now: it was the left turn."

It should have hurt more, he thought, but it actually felt better to be moving, even though he could feel blood getting into his pants with each step.

"I can't show up in Junes like this," he said, the image of him tumbling bloody out of the TV coming to mind.

"Of course not," Yosuke said, hitching his arm up a little so that Souji leaned even more of his weight on him. Souji felt bad; he wasn't a light guy and Yosuke was already tired, but Yosuke's grip wouldn't allow him to try and lean the other way. "We're going to the fox."

"Oh." Talking hurt so he went quiet, but that left him with nothing to do except listen to their steps and the rumblings of the Shadows on lower floors. It was an uncomfortable silence. He didn't like it.

Yosuke apparently felt the same way. "It's weird, huh, that he'd follow you like that, don't you think? I mean, we don't tell the rest of the group where we're going and there he is, waiting at Junes for us and creeping out customers."

"He's a weird fox," Souji agreed. As much as talking pained him, he didn't want to leave Yosuke unanswered.

"A weird fox for a weird dude, I guess." Yosuke peeked around a corner and tugged him forward when he found the way clear. "Man, why'd we come today?"

"Nothing else to do." Souji drew a shaky breath. "Not when it's raining."

"Yeah, that's true. Remember," he said suddenly, voice brightening a bit, "the first time we came by ourselves?"

"With that lifeline that broke?"

"No, I mean after that. When we came to try out our Persona."

"Oh." Souji smiled. "Yeah."

"We weren't stupid enough to go back to Yukiko's castle by ourselves so we stayed in the back lot." Souji had been there, of course, so there was no reason for Yosuke to talk to him as if he hadn't but it was nice to listen to his voice as he recreated the scene. "We showed them off to each other and you said Izanagi's codpiece thing was a—a sign of virility or something—"

Souji chuckled weakly.

"—and I asked you what you'd think of me if I starting wearing a scarf like Jiraiya. Ugh, stairs. Hang on to me."

Souji couldn't do anything else, of course, and gritted his teeth as the first step stretched out his side. He thought something might be ripping back open.

Abruptly, the whole floor shook as a Shadow bellowed in rage. Yosuke just managed to keep them upright and cast a terrified glance over his shoulder. Vanish balls didn't magically get rid of Shadows – they just relocated them.

"It's just a couple of steps," Yosuke muttered, starting them up again. "Once we're up, we're okay. It can't find us that quickly."

"If it does, you'll have to leave me."

"Like hell I will." The floor shook again, the source closer. Yosuke didn't look scared this time, just determined, like he'd defeat the thing through pure strength of will if it showed up.

Souji decided, as he took another painful step, that he liked that look.

Three more steps. He almost slipped on one and brought them both down, but Yosuke caught him easily. He'd always had great reflexes.

They heard another roar as they made the top step but it was farther away. Yosuke nearly panted in relief. Souji managed a faint sigh.

"Alright, just two more floors. You up for it, partner?"

"Yeah," Souji said, because he couldn’t imagine telling Yosuke anything different.

"Good, come on." He started talking as they began again. "What was I…? Oh, right, the back lot."

"You never did get that scarf."

"There's still time. Maybe I'll ask Kanji to make one for me. Anyway, remember what happened after that?" He didn't wait for an answer. "We fought. Well, it wasn't a real fight or not even like that time at the river, but we put our Persona against each other and—"

"Knocked each other out," Souji finished. Blood dripped onto his chin. He swiped at it and felt it smear.

"Yeah." Yosuke grinned and Souji tried to mimic the expression. "What a way to find out we're weak to each other, right? Teddie freaked out when we woke up. 'Sensei, Sensei, is Yosuke a bad guy now?' Never thought about asking me if you were."

"I like being weak to you." Souji didn't really think about saying it. His head was starting to feel fuzzy and the words just came out.

"Me too." The soft tone of Yosuke's voice made him look over. He wanted to reach up and touch his face, not for any real reason, just to do it, but he'd smear blood all over him and he didn't have the strength anyway. His free arm was starting to go numb. Yosuke saw something in his face he didn't like, bit his lip, and tried to speed them up. "I mean, it's better than being weak to Chie. Could you imagine? The way she kicks me sometimes, I'd never recover. She'd probably take advantage of it."

Souji hummed.

"You're right, maybe not. That's pretty low, even for her. Hey, I remember that chest! We're almost at the top floor."

"I think something tore."

"Huh?" Yosuke looked at him uncomprehendingly.

"On the stairs." Each word brought up more blood. He coughed and spit again, fighting the urge to throw up. "I don’t think—"

"Hold on." Yosuke leaned over and pulled up his shirt. Souji didn't know what he saw but he hissed and his hands shook as he tried to take off his jacket while keeping Souji supported. "This might hurt, sorry."

Souji tried to say it was okay but he gasped as Yosuke tied and tightened his jacket around his side in an effort to stem the flow of blood.

"Sorry, partner."

Souji just groaned.

"C-can you move?"

No. "Yeah."

Souji's vision was going dark around the edges and spots of light were beginning to appear. He closed his eyes to block them out. "I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Take hits like this for me."

"That's—that's because I'm your partner, you're our leader, I don't think before… I can't believe you did that!" He shook again, but Souji thought it was out of anger this time. "What were you thinking, pushing me out of the way like that?!"

"Wasn't."

"Obviously! I can't… That's my job. I do that for you, not the other way around."

"Couldn't…" Souji took a deep breath. Even with his eyes closed, the world tilted drunkenly. "I wouldn't have been able to call Kohryu."

"That badass dragon would have scared that thing away. I can see the stairs, we're almost there. Hey, open your eyes."

"Can't."

"Come on." Panic started creeping into Yosuke's voice and his grip tightened. "Just—just try, okay?"

Souji made a noise of agreement. It took three tries before he could crack his eyes open and even then it didn't help his vision. He couldn't see anything, but Yosuke sounded so relieved when he said, "Thank God," that he kept them open.

"Okay, stairs again."

Souji's feet were just shuffling now. Each step seemed seven feet tall and by the time they reached the top he thought all of his energy had bled out of the hole in this side. He couldn't go on, clinging like dead weight to Yosuke.

"Sorry."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Here," he felt Yosuke kneel, "get on my back. I should have done this earlier."

He didn't climb on so much as he fell, but he did feel better on Yosuke's back with his hands under his knees. Warmer too. Some of the coldness that had been seeping into him seemed to disappear.

"Sorry if my headphones hurt you."

"Hmm."

"This floor was short; we'll be there in no time."

The world didn't feel like it was spinning quite so badly. "Yosuke."

"Yeah?"

"Yosuke, Yosuke, Yosuke…"

"What? Souji, I'm right here." He sounded worried and Souji felt his head twist as he tried to look at him.

"I know." Souji tried to squeeze him comfortingly but there was no strength in his arms. "I just like the way it sounds."

"Oh. But doesn't talking make you tired?"

"Yeah." He might have fallen asleep for a while. He woke up to find himself saying, "I have to tell you something."

"Almost there. Tell me when you're better."

"No, it's important." His chest hurt. His heart was pounding too hard, like it wanted out. "I like you."

"I like you too, partner."

"No, no. I like you."

Yosuke's step faltered but picked up stronger than before. There was a long stretch of silence. Or maybe it was short. He couldn't tell. "You remember when you saw my Shadow?"

Souji hummed. Of course; he'd been there.

"You were the only one who saw that. Well, and Teddie, I guess, but… Out of the whole group it was just you. And I like that. You're the only one that knows that about me, the only one I want to know that about me."

"You're mine," Souji managed drowsily. He was getting cold again but at least his heart wasn't pounding anymore. In fact, it kept slowing down. Maybe it was as tired as he was.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm all yours, partner."

He was aware of being put down and leaned against something. Yosuke might have been talking to him but there was such a buzz in his head he couldn't even hear himself breathing. Then there was something from far off, someone shouting – " _Fox! Fox, dammit, get over here!_ " – but the words didn’t make sense and his head was so light that he didn't care. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open anymore. It didn't seem important.

He felt like he was going to sleep.

Yosuke wouldn't mind if he rested, not just for a second.

And then he was jerked back into life, to colors too bold, sounds too loud, coughing and hacking as Susano-o floated above him, pouring life back into his body. He leaned over and vomited his lunch, tinged red with his own blood, until his throat was sore. Susano-o hovered over him for so long that part of him realized Yosuke must be draining himself all over again.

Yosuke grabbed his shoulders, forced him to look into his face. To Souji's newly working eyes, the edges of his face looked too sharp and it was like hearing his voice for the first time. "Souji, say something. You're okay now, right?"

"Yeah." He coughed and got blood on Yosuke but he didn't seem to care.

Beside him, the fox licked his hand.

"I thought—I didn't think he was going to come to me, I didn't have enough to pay him, I—" Yosuke's shoulders shook and he leaned into Souji's chest to hide his face. "Dammit, don't ever do that again!"

"Sorry." Souji sagged against him, still too weak to move.

"I'm staying over at your house tonight. Or you're staying over at mine, I don't care." Yosuke sat up, wiped his nose on his sleeve, and glared as if daring Souji to turn him down. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Souji smiled. "Okay."

That night, Souji didn't protest when Yosuke crawled into his futon and put his arms around him. He did the same and they fell asleep listening to each other's heartbeats.


End file.
